Pests and pest control

Insects are an essential part of the natural cycle of life, but when they end up in your home they may become a problem. Insect pests are annoying, but often you can get rid of them on your own. Pesticides and rat poison can be found in all grocery stores. It is important with regular and thorough cleaning, because it keeps better away the uninvited guests.

Most common insects indoors are silverfishes and ants. To prevent silverfishes; keep the wet areas dry by leaving the bathroom door up after the shower so the floors can dry. The most common food pests in the kitchen are small beetles, but also fruit flies and ants are problem insects. By cleaning, throwing away infected foods and use pesticides, you get rid of these insects. Also they are not toxic!

The most common cockroach in Finland is the german cockroach. If you suspect that you have cockroaches in the apartment, inform the housing office about the matter. With thorough cleaning, taking out the garbage bag daily and use pesticides you will get rid of the pests.

If you find mice or rats notify the caretaker and the housing office about the matter. We instruct and, if necessary, we will come and check for holes that rodents use.

Textile pest is the name of insects that for example chew holes in clothing and textiles and bites of threads. Textile pests include insects such as carpet beetles and clothes moths. If you find these, it's time for a thorough cleaning; cleaning, washing textiles in 60 degrees (or freeze them down for several days) and use pesticides in the places where you found the insects. You should also inform the housing office about your discoveries.

Pests like bedbugs, human lice and fleas are carried easily to your home via clothing, furniture and beds. If you are purchasing used beds or sofas you should be extra careful.

Although bedbugs are rare insects in Finland, they have become more common by the growing tourism. Bedbugs are no obstacle to stay in the apartment, though it is an unpleasant nuisance. If you suspect that your home affected by bedbugs, you should immediately contact the housing office. You can’t get rid of the bedbugs on you own and therefore the pest controllers have to be notified. VOAS policy is to immediately contact pest controllers, who then investigate and poisons. To have a successive poisoning it is important that a tenant carefully follows the instructions. Moving to a new apartment does not solve the problem with bed bugs! The landlord is not liable for compensation for any damage to the furniture or laundry expenses etc.